BREAKING NEWS – Incarcerated Dissident Dr. Mehdi Khazali Suffers a Heart Attack on the 40th Day of His Hunger Strike

February 17th, 2012 – [Kaleme] Incarcerated dissident critical of the government, Dr. Mehdi Khazali was reportedly transferred to Taleghani hospital a few hours ago after suffering a heart attack.

According to reports by Kaleme, Dr. Khazali who was on the 40th day of his hunger strike was transferred to Evin prison’s infirmary at 9:00pm as a result of heart problems. Upon completion of a electrocardiograph prison doctors determined that his condition was critical and he was subsequently transferred to the CCU (Coronary Care Unit) at Taleghani hospital.

According to received reports, Dr. Khazali has vowed to continue his hunger strike until justice has been served. Recently Dr. Khazali’s son had expressed grave concern for his father’s well being as a result of his lengthy hunger strike and the lack of news regarding his condition stating: ” We know that he will not break his hunger strike. There is nothing we can do but pray. Knowing our father and the manner in which he was arrested, we know that he will continue to refuse to eat”

Dr. Khazali, author and vocal critic of the ruling government and a veteran of the holy war against Iraq has refused to break his hunger strike despite his weakening condition and repeated requests by friends, family members and political activists. He launched his hunger strike immediately after being incarcerated protesting his imprisonment and the manner in which he was arrested. In the past month, despite having been transferred to the infirmary at Evin prison on various occasions as a result of his deteriorating physical condition, Dr. Khazali vowed to continue with his hunger strike stating that he had prepared himself for martyrdom.

Dr. Khazali was sentenced to 14 years prison in the Borazjan, an additional 10 years exile in Borazjan upon completion of his 14 year prison sentence and 90 lashings.

In a letter addressed to his wife published only hours ago from inside Evin prison Mehdi Khazali stated: “It is extremely difficult for a wife and child to watch the voluntary, slow death of a loved one. As I wrote you this letter, reflecting upon the misfortunes I have imposed upon you, I have shed endless tears.”

It is worth mentioning that on the 37th day of his hunger strike, in an open letter addressed to Ahmad Montazeri (the son of late Ayatollah Montazeri) Dr. Khazali described the behavior of the interrogators and judges towards the prisoners at Evin’s ward 350 stating: “Now I understand the outcries of your late father. May God bless his soul and may God remove this injustice from its root. These are but examples of the pain and sufferings inflicted upon us. There is much more painful things to speak about, but there is not enough room in this short letter for me to explain them all. Isn’t the pain and sorrow I have described enough justification for me to die? Didn’t they remove the thorn from the foot of the Jewish woman (referring to a story about Imam Ali)”

In a letter addressed to the wives of Martyr Bakeri and Martyr Hemat who had requested that he break his hunger strike, Dr. Khazali also wrote: ” Before I die mourning for the lost values of the Revolution, please allow me to sacrifice my life, to restore the pure values of the Islamic Revolution, so I too may have a place amongst the martyrs.”